Dr Timothy Clifton is the Secretary of the Gravitational Physics Group, at the Institute of Physics

Submissions are now invited for the £500 prize.

The Gravitational Physics Group at the IOP is inviting submissions for their annual thesis prize.  Recent graduates from PhD programs in any area of gravitational physics, or other related areas, are strongly encouraged to apply.  Details are as follows:

Terms of reference, and elligibility
The prize is awarded for excellence in research and communication skills, as demonstrated by the candidate’s thesis.  All members of the IOP Gravitational Physics Group who passed their viva voce exam during the period 1st January 2012 and 31st December 2014 are elligible.

How to enter
Candidates should email an electronic copy of their thesis to Timothy Clifton, and complete the application form.  All sumissions should be made before the 31st of January 2015.

Furthermore, the winner will be invited to submit a paper to Classical and Quantum Gravity based on the winning thesis which, if accepted, will be made a ‘select article’ in CQG.  They will also be given the opportunity to present their work at one of the UK ‘BritGrav’ meetings.

Previous recipients
2013
Dr Anna Heffernan (University College Dublin)
The Self-force Problem: Local Behaviour of the Detweiler-Whiting Singular Field

2012
Dr Cesar Simon Lopez-Monsalvo (University of Southampton)
Covariant thermodynamics and relativity

2011
Dr John Miller (University of Glasgow)
On non-Gaussian beams and optomechanical parametric instabilities in interferometric gravitational wave detectors

2010
Dr Barry Wardell (University College Dublin)
Green functions and radiation reaction from a spacetime perspective

2009
Dr Emanuele Rocco (Birmingham)
Development of a test of Newton’s Law of Gravitation at micrometre distances using a Superconducting Spherical Torsion Balance

2008
Dr Julian Sonner (Cambridge)
Aspects of Classical and Quantum Brane Dynamics